


Of the Shards

by Kingsdaughter613



Category: Cosmere - Brandon Sanderson, Mistborn - Brandon Sanderson, Stormlight Archive - Brandon Sanderson
Genre: Lots of spoilers for EVERYTHING, Some Dragonsteel stuff is here, This is a mythology type tale
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-07
Updated: 2020-12-07
Packaged: 2021-03-09 22:47:09
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 1,763
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27934099
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kingsdaughter613/pseuds/Kingsdaughter613
Summary: The Cosmere history, told as a mythology and focusing on the Shards. Has spoilers for everything including some unpublished stuff.
Kudos: 4





	1. The Shattering and the Shards

In the beginning, there was Adonalsium. And he created the Cosmere and all the peoples therein with Command and Intent. And He created four Dawnshards, each bearing one one of the four primal Commands. And these He gave these to His children so that they, too, could Create. The name of these Commands is lost us, save one: Change.

Now the planet Yolen was one of these worlds created, and upon its surface three people dwelled, and these were the humans, the dragons, and the Sho-del. Now, we are human and know ourselves, so I shall not speak of us. But the dragons are changelings and may take myriad forms, and their true skin is a wondrous steel which grows upon them. And this is called Dragonsteel.

The Sho-Del were the third race of Yolen, and little is known of them. But they were said to be closer to the Cognitive and masters of illusion, and their bones were bound to Dragonsteel upon maturity. They were the people of the Fain, the Sho-Del, but little else is known of them.

As the ages passed the Dawnshards, in manner unknown, came to be bound to some few among the people of Yolen. And one of these so bound was a Jesk named Midius, though it is rare he uses this name. For the Dawnshard changed the nature of his being so that he does not age and cannot be easily harmed, but also cannot harm others, nor eat the flesh of beasts. And though he has long since cast aside the burden he once held, still he is said to live and remain, a figure of mystery and trickery whose deeds have ever a purpose that none may wholly comprehend.

Now, in the time that the man Midius remained a Dawnshard, he went by the name Cephandrius, and also Topaz. In those days a great conflict erupted on Yolen. Of these events little is known, but the ending is a secret whispered throughout the Cosmere. For members of the three peoples of Yolen came together and determined to bring an end to these horrors in a manner shocking and blasphemous. They would make war on god himself and slay their Creator, Adonalsium.

The names of those so determined were Tanavast, Korraveli, Rayse, Edgli, Uli-Da, Aona, Skai, Bavadin, Leras and Ati. And others were joined with them as well, to number sixteen, but their names are lost to us. And Midius, who is Cephandrius and Topaz and Hoid, was with them. And so, some say, was the dragon Frost.

These souls came upon Adonalsium and wielded against him his own primal Commands, the Dawnshards from which all were born. And Adonalsium gazed upon His children with understanding and acceptance and, in the moment, was torn asunder.

Of sixteen pieces was his corpse, sixteen pieces of infinity that were themselves infinite. And each piece was an attribute of the greater whole separated from its context. Fourteen of sixteen are known to us: Honor, Cultivation, Odium, Devotion, Dominion, Ambition, Autonomy, Ruin, Preservation, Mercy, Valor, Endowment, Invention, and Whimsy; but of the final too we can only wonder.

Sixteen of those who brought an end to Adonalsium Ascended to a Shard of their choosing. But Midius refused, and stood aside and all sixteen vowed that harm would not come to him by their deeds so long as he did not intervene in theirs. And the Shards spoke and agreed that they should scatter across the Cosmere, each to their own place and be alone. But this was no sooner agreed than the agreement broken. For many Shards thought it suggestion only and did not hold themselves bound.


	2. The Investing of Worlds

Upon Roshar settled Honor and Cultivation, held by Tanavast and Korraveli, and they fashioned for themselves a child. For Tanavast a son, the Stormfather. And for Korraveli a daughter, the Nightwatcher. And a third child they fashioned together, and this they named the Sibling.

Upon the world of Sel settled Aona and Skai, Vessels of Devotion and Dominion, and of them were born the Seons and Skaze. Together they fashioned systems of writing, which men call Aons. But the greater number of their deeds are lost, for Aona and Skai are dead and what they held has been Shattered.

Ruin and Preservation settled no worlds, but joined together to do what neither might do alone. Together they Created a world for themselves that the Cosmere might be Preserved and that Ruin might destroy naught but what he created. But Leras, Vessel of Preservation, betrayed his fellow and imprisoned Ruin that Scadrial might be Preserved. But Ati struck a final blow gainst Preservation, and sentenced his fellow to a death over ages.

Edgli settled upon Nalthis, and brought with her a gift, for such is the nature of Endowment. And she gazed into the future and saw what was needed. Then she chose from among the dead and Returned them to their place to live a little while. Of the purpose in these deeds little is known, for the Shards have the knowledge of the infinite and we are mere men.

Bavadin took up Autonomy and made her home upon Taldain, a world that is ever dark upon one side and ever light upon the other. Her power comes from her sun’s light and manifests in the lichen that’s grows upon the Dayside’s sand.

And the other Shards scattered, each to their own worlds and some to none, but where they are is a knowledge lost to us.


	3. The Deeds of Odium

Rayse, Vessel of Odium, gazed upon his fellows with hatred and rage, for he saw in them a challenge. Now, Uli-Da was the Vessel of Ambition and her Shard was held to be a great danger. So upon her Odium came and struck above Threnody. Gravely wounded Ambition fled, trailing her essence. But Mercy found her and struck the fatal blow. So Uli-Da perished and the body of her Shard lies where none may know.

Then Odium joined with Bavadin, and they struck at Devotion and Dominion and Aona and Skai perished. Devotion and Dominion they splintered and their essence was cast from the Spiritual to the Cognitive, where it yet remains. And the nature of Sel was changed utterly by this deed.

Then Odium came to Roshar and struck at Honor. But here he failed, for Honor trapped him and bound Odium to Roshar. And for millennia Odium and a Honor fought in endless war until, at last, Odium struck the fatal blow and Honor fell.

Great was the rage of Odium when he found his bonds remained, for he was determined to be free and to Invest no world. So he built the Everstorm to return the Desolations and sought to corrupt he who would be Bondsmith of Honor. But Rayse did not consider Cultivation, who is ever patient.

Cultivation planted her seeds and watched with care. When the time came the Bondsmith held and Rayse knew true fear. So he forged a pact with the Bondsmith, designed by Midius, now known by Wit. Then sodium came in a rage upon the king he thought his own, for he had lost all those he had intended as champion. But Taravangian had ever been Cultivation’s.

In the moment Cultivation’s choice struck with the blade of Endowment. And the Blade consumed the soul of Rayse; but the Shard it could not harm. And Taravangian Ascended to power according to Cultivation’s Intent. But the fate of Roshar remains still unknown.


	4. Harmony of Scadrial

Now, on Scadrial Ruin lay chained and Preservation dying and so matters remained for eons. And every thousand years the Well of Preservation filled and Ruin drew near freedom. And each time a Hero arose and Ascended to that power and wielded it upon the land of Scadrial.

But Ruin was crafty and knew that as Preservation died his Intent became less. And so as the Well filled each time Ruin altered the memory of prophesy in subtle ways so that the Hero might think it his duty to release the power and not wield it, and in so doing set Ruin free upon the world.

So an Ascension came and the Hero Alendi believed he must release the power of the Well. But the man Rashek knew the truth and slew Alendi and took up the power. But Rashek did not know how to wield it and drew Scadrial too close to its sun and the land burned. So Rashek created mountains of ash to shield the people and changed all the people of North Scadrial so they might live beneath them. But the South he did not change, but offered other means.

A thousand years passed and Rashek reigned over a cruel, unchanging Empire and none dared oppose him. Until the rebel thief Kelsier, called the Survivor, gathered a crew to slay the man who named himself god and king. And Rashek skew Kelsier before his people to prove their folly. But he misjudged the people’s temperament, for they rise up in the Survivor’s name. And Vin, trained by Kelsier and proclaimed as his heir, slew Rashek and ended his reign.

A year passed and the Well filled, and Vin came to the Well. And Vin knew the prophesies and her duty and so released the power as she believed right. And thus was Ruin free upon Scadrial. 

But Ruin has not been alone in his prison, for Kelsier had convinced Preservation to Preserve him in the Well and had survived there in spirit the year past. And when Leras died at last, the Survivor Ascended to Preservation and held the power in trust, waiting.

The day arose when Lady Vin fought the forces of Ruin and on that day the Survivor passed the power to his daughter and she Ascended in his place. And Vin did what no other might and slew Ati, Vessel of Ruin. But in the act she perished.

Then Ruin and Preservation lay unclaimed upon the field of battle. But Sazed, scholar and Keeper, took up the two Shards and by his Intent they became one. And Sazed Ascended as Harmony. Years of knowledge did he hold, and this he turned to great purpose and restored Scadrial and her people to their rightful forms. But Lady Vin he could not restore, for she chose to go Beyond with her husband.

But Kelsier, Sliver of Preservation, chose to remain, for he had discovered the Cosmere and wished to know its secrets. And it is said he continues to seek them, and his agents also, for all the years thereafter.


End file.
